PTI team’s unmonitored access to Imran will help talks: Omar Ayub

ISLAMABAD: Unmonitored access for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) negotiation team members to their jailed founder chairman Imran Khan will help the ongoing negotiation process, said a PTI leader.

Leader of the Opposition and head of PTI’s negotiation team Omar Ayub Khan, who also met Imran Khan on Sunday last, told The News that in a closely monitored environment, no frank discussion was possible between Imran Khan and team members.

He said the government side has free access to their leadership, but PTI is denied free unmonitored access. It creates an uneven environment for negotiations, he added.

The PTI leader lamented despite the government’s commitment, the last meeting was allowed in a monitored room. In such an environment, you cannot discuss scenarios for the negotiation process, he said.

In view of the monitored Adiala jail meeting, Omar Ayub said the committee members mainly received Imran’s directions about how to proceed in talks with the government.

When asked whether the committee discussed the issue of Imran Khan’s social media posts, which are seen by the government as a serious threat to the dialogue process, the PTI leader said the issue was not discussed.

In their last meeting, which was part of the talks process, the PTI team was assured by the government’s negotiating team that it would be offered free unmonitored access to their jailed leader, but it did not happen.

The government side appeared helpless to fulfil its commitment amid speculation about the establishment not being ready to allow such a facility. It was also discussed that Imran Khan’s last social media post, critical of army’s top command, was the reason for the delayed and monitored meeting of the PTI team with jailed Khan.